A former Montgomery County high school guidance counselor was sentenced to 20 years in prison Friday for raping two women he met through the dating application Tinder.
Colin Sime Black, 35, of Rockville, was found guilty on June 28 of second-degree sexual offense charges for raping a woman on March 24, 2017, according to court documents.
He was also found guilty on July 8 of sexual-degree sexual offenses for raping another woman on Dec. 31, 2016, according to court documents. The two convictions happened in separate trials.
On Friday, Montgomery County Circuit Judge David Boynton issued two consecutive 20-year sentences for the two convictions. Boynton suspended five years of the sentence for the June conviction and he suspended 15 years of the sentence for the July conviction, leaving 20 years for Black to spend in prison.
As part of his punishment, Black must register as a sex offender.
Black, who worked at Albert Einstein High School in Kensington, got together with one woman through Tinder on Dec. 16, 2016, when they engaged in sexual activity, according to court documents.
On Dec. 31 of that year, the two met again. The woman said Black forced her onto the couch at his apartment and raped her. She reported the rape to authorities nine months later.
Black also met the other woman through Tinder. The two met on March 24, 2017, and she came to his apartment. That woman said Black forced her on his bed and raped her, according to court documents. She told police immediately of the rape.
Montgomery County police arrested Black in October 2017 and charged him with sexual offenses against the two women.
During Friday’s hearing, Black apologized to the victims and said he “takes responsibility for his actions,” but said he had a “different recollection,” of what happened in each case.
“While I never used physical force, I did use verbal persuasion,” he said.
The Montgomery County Board of Education dismissed Black on March 12 for “misconduct in office and immorality,” stemming from separate incidents in 2016 in which he allegedly communicated inappropriately on social media with two former students, according to court documents.
During a press conference after the sentencing, Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said two other people accused Black of raping them, but their cases are not proceeding. A case involving one woman was placed on hold, and there are no plans to prosecute the case. The fourth person, he said, decided not to pursue criminal charges.
McCarthy said it was clear that Black was a “predator.” McCarthy urged others who he attacked to come forward.
During the press conference, one of the two victims who Black was prosecuted for attacking addressed reporters and echoed McCarthy’s plea.
“Colin Black is a serial rapist and we know there are other victims out there,” she said.
Black’s attorney, Barry Helfand, said in an interview after the hearing that he was disappointed in the ruling and planned to appeal one of the sentences.
“We are very disappointed in the length of time,” Helfand said. “On the other hand, Judge Boynton is an honorable guy and I’m sure he gave it careful consideration.”
Dan Schere can be reached at Daniel.schere@moco360.media
